Yesterday
by Werepuppy Black
Summary: Twoshot. Chapter one set before 'A Night In.' Chapter two set one year after 'There Are Crocodiles.' A look at the night James Armstrong broke up with one Lynda Day and then revisiting him some time later and seeing what his life is like.
1. Yesterday

**Yesterday**

"_I know what happened yesterday..."_

James Armstrong wasn't entirely happy.

He knew he was considered to be very good company. He knew that most girls considered him to be highly attractive, and that they couldn't help stare at him. And that they wanted to go out with him. In fact, when he did ask someone out they often kept saying how lucky they were. It was a boost to his ego, which he was sure never got too big.

And then there was Lynda Day.

She had been recently named as Editor of the new Junior Gazette. A top-mark student, and an academic high flier. And she wasn't all that bad looks wise. He had naturally assumed that she would be overjoyed to be going out with him.

So why wasn't that the case?

It wasn't the norm for him. He normally didn't have to work this hard in a 'relationship.' Lynda was making him work in this. It was interesting to say the least, different and quite enjoyable. Or at least it wasn't annoying him as much as fawning females did.

Didn't mean he was entirely happy with her spending most of her time on the phone.

He had come over to surprise her. Her parents were out for the evening, and he knew she'd be home alone. So he had the idea of going round to her house and watching a video with her. He had thought she would like it, and he was right.

The evening had started well, that was until the phone went. Lynda immediately went to it. James groaned. It was a habit of hers that he never liked, and would never like. He had moved on the couch as she returned with the phone in her hand.

"Kenny you're the one who insisted I have a night off now what is the matter?" She always got straight to the point in her phone calls James noted. Unusually he didn't like it. He had hoped that their own phone calls would be perhaps just a little bit more. Lynda didn't really go in for that though, and he had long decided that with Lynda Day he would take what he could get.

"No I didn't tell him to do that. That's ridiculous," this call didn't seem to be the most pleasing one. "Put him on." There was a pause, "Kenny I'm not asking you I'm telling you. Put. Him. On." There was another pause, longer now. "At last, just what do you think you're doing!" James was glad that he wasn't the one Lynda was angry at. He listened to the conversation quietly, assuming that it was Colin making another dodgy deal, or Frazz making up rubbish horoscopes. Actually as long as it wasn't a certain person, James wasn't all that worried about the call cutting into their date.

Then he heard the one name he did not want to hear.

"Spike you're being a complete KD plus about this. Yes I did call you that and I'll call you it again if I have to." James waited sourly for the phone call to end. "Well I am a bit busy right now Spike, I can't come running down to yell at you in person." James smirked, glad to know he was held slightly about the paper, at least where Spike and the paper was concerned. "Yes I am with James." Lynda smiled apologetically over at him then frowned at the conversation taking place on the phone.

"No you can not come round." Another pause which found James sitting bolt upright, as near to the phone as Lynda would allow him. "Because I say so Spike. No James is not too old for me." Lynda was frowning again "Well you would say that Thompson. Because you are obsessed." James was confused for a moment, then he remembered that Spike was the one who had a crush on Lynda.

"Fine Spike, just finish the article and you can do whatever you like as long as you don't disturb me" There was another pause. The annoyed look on Lynda's face softened a little bit. "Oh right...well...get Sarah to help you then." One last pause and then, "bye Spike" Lynda hung up the phone.

"That was Spike I take it" James asked, focusing his attention on the television set. Lynda n nodded once.

"He's a KD verging into a KD plus. I'm trying to remember why I haven't kicked him off the paper yet. Then I remember he actually gets hold of some interesting stories." She spoke matter of factly, something that no-one else would have picked anything up on. But there was something there.

And it wasn't something that made James more confident about this, unusual for him, relationship. His mind wandered while they continued to watch the video. He noticed Lynda denying him being too old for her to Spike. Maybe he wasn't too old for her, but she seemed to be a bit too young for him. He thought about it carefully. She couldn't get into the pubs that he and his friends choose to go to sometimes. She was still at school, and he seemed to be the only one he knew dating a school kid. And, to James this seemed to be the one point he couldn't help think about, there was the problem of Spike.

In every single conversation that they did manage to have, his name always seemed to pop up. In anger, in neutral tones, even in fondness his name always showed up. And, sad and petty as it may seem, James hated it. He knew there was something going on there, even if Lynda chose to ignore it. He knew that if he and Lynda weren't dating, something would be going on with her and Spike. And when he really thought about it, he didn't seem all that bothered about the 'relationship' he had with Lynda. It wasn't as though she was doing much to keep it working. He was doing all the work. And he didn't need to. There was that girl in his class...the one with the shiny black hair. His mind was made up

"Lynda?"

"Yes? What is it?"

"You...you know this relationship we've got going right now?"

"Yes. I believe we're using it right now aren't we? Or was that just a figment of my imagination?" James sighed inwardly. Lynda could be too smart for her own good sometimes.

"Yes Lynda. Well," he paused, wording this in a way that would finish the relationship but wouldn't make Lynda yell at him. "I think we should slow it down a bit." Off her look he added "Well you see, I have this thing on Venn diagrams coming up and I really think I should concentrate on my classes. And to do that..I can't see you."

There was a long silence. "Oh." Lynda finally said.

"Yeah..so I think that maybe I should go." James added, wanting to get out quickly. He had learned that a speechless Lynda was not a good thing. He moved over to the video player and took his tape. "So yeah. Erm, goodbye I suppose"

"I suppose" Lynda echoed, not really paying attention. James moved to the door and stood there for a second, debating whether or not to go back and explain things better. He chose the latter. He paused only for one second more.

"Bye."

The door slammed closed behind him.

"_I was dumped wasn't I?"_


	2. Some Time Later

A good few years later and James was feeling slightly sour. His wife, who he had once been very fond of - especially her shiny black hair, had been cheating on him with someone in her work. The divorce papers had been on the mat at his door this morning. Along with a letter telling him plainly that he was fired.

So, all in all, it wasn't the best time of his life.

What made it worse, however, was when he turned on the local news. It was doing a piece on the local newspapers and magazines, in particular the Junior Gazette. It was one year on from the infamous fire that had destroyed the old buildings of the paper and this was a follow up piece, seeing how they were doing one year on.

James watched the show with little interest, he had never really read the Junior Gazette, thinking himself to mature for it. He was ready to switch it off when it finally caught his interest

"...And, of course, the success of the paper can be put down to one person. The editor Lynda Day who is here with me now." James' neck cracked loudly as his head shot up to stare at the screen. It was her! The Lynda he had once dated. The Lynda he had dumped for...well... He looked at the screen and smiled. She looked fantastic. And she still lived locally. How...fortunate. For him.

He had never really thought about Lynda much after he had dumped her, except the occasional 'what if' thoughts that everyone seemed to have. Granted, after his wife revealed her affair, the 'what if' thoughts came more often but still. He looked back at the screen, where the interview was still going on. She did look fantastic. He couldn't help but begin to fantasize about meeting up with her again, and perhaps picking up from where they left off...

"And, if the rumours are right, the name of the editor will be changing soon. Are there any truth to these rumours Miss Day? Are you leaving the Junior Gazette?" the interviewer, James couldn't recall her name at the moment, was asking Lynda. She was given a dry smile in return.

"I am not leaving the Junior Gazette but yes, the name of the editor is changing." she confirmed. The interviewer, one of those female ones who always seemed to know whether or not a rumour was true, gave a small look of surprise.

"Oh? Would you care you explain further Miss Day or will you leave us all guessing?" She asked, not unkindly. Lynda opened her mouth when a very loud, American voice cut across her.

"Nah you don't want her to tell that story. She ain't got a flair for it. Me however...well I'm a natural." Spike Thompson came on to screen, moving over and kneeling beside Lynda's chair.

"Thompson just what do you think you're doing?" The annoyed look wasn't rehearsed - the interview was going out live - but it did have an air of having been worn before.

"I think this is my big chance Boss, get my name in lights. Spike Thompson lighting up stage and screen and lets face it, just mentioning my name makes that happen." He smiled over at Lynda who glared at him.

"It's a stupid name." she informed him, James smiled an agreement. He vaguely remembered the night he broke up with Lynda, and his thoughts that something was going out between her and Spike. Obviously he was wrong.

"Need I remind you that you'll be Mrs Spike Thompson soon." Spike shot back.

All hell broke loose in the newsroom after that.

James sat, numbly, watching the scene unfold itself on his television screen. A boy in a suit ran around shouting about exclusives while a small group of girls had gathered around Lynda asking question about how Spike proposed and when was the actual wedding. James noticed one familiar face, Kenny if he remembered correctly, go over to Spike with a look of utter amazement.

James switched the television off and sat in silence. After a while he said the first thing which came into his head.

"I _knew_ there was something going on with those two!"


End file.
